GEORGE NEWS - A famous explorer's legacy has received a much-needed facelift at the Garden Route Botanical Garden, where the bust of William Burchell has been given a complete make-over 14 years after it was erected.
The restoration was carried out on Sunday 16 August, after years of exposure to the elements had left the bust covered in black moss. It was also often the target of the odd bird.
Hoekwil artist Ian Visser spent three hours carefully restoring the bust. He applied a thin layer of specialist fibre cement before finishing it with a special silicone sealant designed to protect it from the elements.
Visser said the restoration should ensure that Burchell remains in pristine condition for many decades to come.
Both the Outeniqua Historical Society and Knysna Historical Society expressed their sincere thanks to Visser for donating his professional skills towards the preservation of the historic bust.
Hoekwil artist Ian Visser restores the bust of renowned explorer William Burchell at the Garden Route Botanical Garden. Photo: Supplied
The bust is particularly significant as it is one of only two known ones of Burchell in the world. The other is situated on Katot Meyer's farm in the Pietersrivier Nature Reserve near De Vlugt.
Burchell was a renowned English explorer, naturalist and artist who travelled extensively through southern Africa in the early 19th century, documenting the region's landscapes, people, plants and wildlife.
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